The problem with boat people is that they arrive on our shores with rights.
As soon as they are transferred to the main land it is almost impossible to send them back.
This because of the Convention relating to the Status of Refugees.
As long as Australia is part of this Convention the problem with new arrivals cannot be solved.
However the Convention has an Article 44.
If an Australian government really wants get on top of the refugee problem the government should give attention to Article 44 of this Convention:

Article 44. Denunciation
1. Any Contracting State may denounce this Convention at any time by a notification addressed to the Secretary-General of the United Nations.
2. Such denunciation shall take effect for the Contracting State concerned one year from the date upon which it is received by the Secretary-General of the United Nations.
3. Any State which has made a declaration or notification under article 40 may, at any time thereafter, by a notification to the Secretary-General of the United Nations, declare that the Convention shall cease to extend to such territory one year after the date of receipt of the notification by the Secretary-General.

more Green and Labour voters. They will be forgiven just like previous violent offenders handed citizenship. Could any Government be more incompetent? I doubt it. We are the laughing stock of the world.

Unfortunately Lexi that is not very reassuring.
Mr Bowen's rather less-than-direct address to the specific rioters and orchestrators as having their actions merely being 'taken into account' in considering their character, is somewhat less that reassuring than being identified as an automatic cancellation of all prospects of entering the country.

I'd be inclined to agree with Belly and SPQR's doubts that Mr Bowen's address is little more than a vague statement made more to please all Australian audiences by avoiding any detail that might cause PR problems- than a substantiated declaration of policy; let alone a guarantee that people caught rioting are NOT going to be let in, for that matter.

It unfortunately seems to be the discourse of all politicians asked questions about their next plan of action these days- instead of an answer, they simply reply with an approximation.
It seems these days politicians try hard to avoid taking an action or making a decision in order to avoid having to take responsibility or justify it to anyone.

King Hazza,

The Immigration Minister is taking a tough stand.
The situation is under control by the Federal Police. Let us wait and see what develops next before making harsh judgements too early.

It is worth a look at this subject.
Stand back take a look, leave the politics at the door.
First most Australians, yes a majority, are not happy with our way of handling boat refugees, ever.
And yes all over the world refugees are looking for safety,a better life, and purely in some cases, a better financial life.
Any Australian government, back into politics, has not been able to win every one to its plan to handle this problem.
Events that have seen our new quests , a few of them, demanding,that is the word, more than we can give is raising concerns.
Gillard,to this point has failed,Howard did too, inhuman laws and children over board .
Australian voters, in my view are out in front of both party's here.
Few I think, do not think now is an opportunity government MUST take.
Of the 300 said to have taken place not one should stay.
Now more than ever such an act may signal a reverse of more staying after getting here than being returned is the wrong signal.
In bringing these folk to Australia, the rioters,Labor is saying they will be rewarded for criminal acts.
Is the UNHCR arm of that UN a group not known to be of use trying to mix and match the worlds population, or is it genuinely trying to fix third world problems.

Lexi says: “Let us wait and see what develops next before making harsh judgements too early”

One wonders how long must we wait in order to avoid making –too early – a judgement, as long as we have waited for prosecutions/deportations over this incident?
http://www.news.com.au/national/boat-explosion-horrific-navy-officer/story-e6frfkw0-1225699720460

And how long need we wait before some advocate explains that it’s all a big misunderstanding ( due to our cultural insensitivities, or the like) . They weren’t shouting “ F you Australia”, they were actually using one of their own language words ( which might sound like F* to the untrained ear) but really means “bless you dear sweet host nation”